The Prettiest Pixie
by GLEEful Heart
Summary: My New Years contribution to the Quartie ficathon, set during what else...Halloween. Enjoy!


_**An authors note...My first contribution to the Quartie ficathon '11 featuring prompts requested by SimonandJeanetteAreBest:**_**_glitter, tears, angry, stardust, pixie. Don't know how many more of these I'll be able to crank out, but I've had a lot of fun writing this one. The theme could parallel my head canon(something I can't seem to shy away from) and time line is set in October of their fifth grade year. __Thanks for the prompt S-Jab, hope_ _you enjoy this._**

**_Disclaimer-Glee is the property of FOX, the creators and the writers. _**

**_The Prettiest Pixie  
_**

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," came the grumbled response.

"What's wrong?"

Without bothering to pick her head up, ten year old Quinn Fabray snapped back, "Nothing, now go away."

"But you're crying."

Hearing the concern in the gentle tone above her, Quinn slowly lifted her head to see she didn't have to look up very far. There seated in front of her was the 'wheelchair nerd', as some ignorant boys so meanly called him, Artie Abrams. "I'm fine," she insisted, discretely sniffling back some of her tears.

"Then why are you sitting all alone in the hallway during lunchtime?"

Heaving a huge sigh of annoyance, Quinn was tempted to lie to the boy just to get him to leave her alone, but one look into those imploring blue eyes shinning through the lenses of his glasses, and she found herself blubbering the truth. "Apparently fifth graders are too old to dress up as Tinkerbell for Halloween," she spat with as much vehemence as she could muster, though none of it was targeted at him.

"I thought all girls love princesses," he returned in askance.

"She's not a princesses, she's a pixie" Quinn countered defensively, "It's like a tiny fairy."

Artie lowered his head self-consciously and began to blush. "Oh sorry. My little sister's only one and a half, she's not into that stuff yet," he admitted sheepishly, his eyes only daring to meet with hers once again. "Her favorite Disney character is still Winnie-the-Pooh."

Quinn let the soft giggle that was bubbling up inside of her, escape. Artie thought her laugh was one of the prettiest sounds he'd ever heard, right up there with his mothers voice, and he smiled.

Shifting so that her legs were curled to her side instead of pulled up tight against her chest, Quinn smiled back. "Since this is our last year to wear costumes at school, I thought it would be fun to go as my favorite character. But I'm the only one who's dressed up like this...," Quinn paused to glance down a her stunningly adorned tutu, matching tights and expertly painted lime green ballet slippers, "...all of the other girls are either cheerleaders or witches."

"What's wrong with being different?"

The boldness of that question surprised her, but when she looked back up at him, he didn't look all that confident. In fact, he looked almost terrified to even be speaking to her. She wondered how much courage it took the usually shy boy, to stop and ask her if she was okay in the first place. "I tried to be like all the other boys last year and dressed up as Spider man," lowering his gaze again, he confided in her, "but everyone just laughed at me and said superheros aren't supposed to be in wheelchairs."

Something twisted deep within Quinn's tummy that wasn't hunger, and she felt the sting of tears return to her eyes. She was almost rendered speechless, but managed to squeak out the first thing that came to her mind. "I like your costume _this_ year." His eyes widened in awe and a grin began to spread across his lips. "Race car driver?"

Artie nodded self-consciously and blushed. "It was my Moms idea," he admitted softly, but was still beaming. "The car part had to stay in the classroom cause it's kinda big. My Dad and Grandpa helped me build it and me and my Mom painted it..." Realizing he was beginning to ramble, Artie stopped himself. He looked down at Quinn who was still smiling up at him. "I think yours is really pretty with all the glitter and sparkles..."

"It's supposed to be stardust," she delicately pointed out.

"Right," he amended sheepishly before clearing his throat, "that's what I meant." There was a slight hesitation on his part before he worked up enough nerve to add, "It's so good, I think you have a great chance at winning the costume contest."

"Really?" Quinn asked skeptically. It was a pretty amazing looking costume but, "I don't know..." She glanced up to find Artie sitting there, nodding enthusiastically and wearing most sincerest of expressions, and couldn't help but smile at him. "Yours is really awesome too. I think maybe _you _might win."

Artie tried to hide the look of stunned surprise that covered his face. Everyone knew the schools costume contest was way more of a popularity contest than anything else, and considering Quinn had been the only one so far, aside from his family and a few faculty members, to actually compliment him on his costume...

The noise from down the hall began to pick up, signaling the end of the period was nearing and their brief time talking was up. Reluctantly, Artie turned back to Quinn, "You better get back there before recess starts."

"Yeah, I am a little hungry," Quinn replied, reaching for the sack that Artie just noticed was lying by her side. But by the time he'd fully extended his hand out to help her up, she was already on her feet, so he pulled it back to the cold rim of his chair and tugged at his wheels.

"Wait, where are _you_ going?" she asked when she noticed he was headed in the opposite direction.

Artie glanced over his shoulder while turning his chair. "Nurses office."

"Why, are you sick?," Quinn gasped, her tone laced with concern.

"No, I...," his words trailed off. He really didn't want to tell the prettiest girl in the school that it was best for him to use the nurses accessible bathroom in case he required assistance getting out of his costume while trying to obtain access to his catheter bag. No, he wasn't about to tell her, or anyone else that. Ever. "I'm okay."

"Good," Quinn gave a sigh of relief and smiled. "Okay well thanks Artie...see ya later."

Artie's jaw fell open, he had no idea she even knew his name. A wide smile spread across his lips as she he watched her walk away, but he did manage to call out after her before she was completely out of earshot, "See ya later Quinn."

With an honorary mention for most creative, Artie Abrams didn't feel overshadowed by the winners of the best costume contest...especially with the most beautiful fairy princess pixie he'd ever seen, standing up on stage holding the first place ribbon.

**_..._**

**__****ANx2...Happy New Year and Merry Quartie day. **  



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